ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · deal · staff · cue · nail · roll · clip · calf

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. staff — employees
  5. cue — a hint
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. roll — a list
  9. deal — to handle
  10. clip — to cut
  11. rest — what's left
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. roll — a cake
  14. clip — for paper
  15. clip — a video
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. staff — employees
  19. rest — a break
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. staff — a stick
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. roll — on a roll

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com